It's that time of the year, the actual serious votes of a major contest! As per the judging rules, the public voting, much like the official pro-voting will be done using a 1-10 system in various categories. What are those categories? Good question!

For stage one, judging criteria will be:

Gameplay (40%)- Is your map fun? Do we enjoy playing it? Do we want to play it again?

Balance (40%)- Can red beat blue as often as blue beat red? Are all classes balanced against each other? Does player skill control who wins most rounds?

Technical and Optimisation (20%)- do your doors work? Do the navigation and .pop files work correctly? Does the map break under certain conditions? Is everything packed correctly? This category will also include a limited amount of optimisation- not much, but if your map doesn't maintain a reasonable frames per second rate it will lose marks here.

It's simple. Just give a 1 to 10 rating for each of the categories. If you want to provide a reason for why you did that, go for it! If not, don't worry about it. I'll take care of doing all the complex math and stuff.

Just copy and past this table into your post, and replace the X's with the numbers.

You'll notice koth_refuel is not on this list. Due to the fact that it's a fullbright map, Swordfish and I decided to pull it from judging of the phase. This is to make it so that the fullbrightness doesn't interfere with the other maps in the testing and degrade the integrity of the judging. That being said, we are allowing it for the detailing phase, so if you want to detail it, go right on ahead.

Gameplay - Answers to the question: Would I play this again?
Balance - Answers to the question: Would I prefer a side/class?
Techical - Starts of as a 10, bugs/misc. things that affect gameplay or poor frames will remove points. I will NOT take any deductions of minor graphical bugs (It's a layout contest after all)

Map&Criteria

Gameplay [40%]

Balance [40%]

Technical [20%]

Total

cp_adjunct

7

6

8

6.8

cp_amaranth

6

9

7

7.4

cp_bridges

7

7

6

6.8

cp_delicious

2

6

2

3.6

cp_gulge

5

7

10

6.8

cp_innovation

4

8?

10

6.8

cp_keikoku

9

8

8

8.4

cp_lasseter

7

9?

10

8.4

cp_overwatcher

4

7

9

6.2

cp_sleekcrete

This

map

is

mine

ctf_hayloft

2

5

9

4.6

koth_grizzlyc10

8

7

10

8

koth_pitfall

7

6

10

7.2

koth_point

3

6

7

5

koth_prescott

10

5

10

8

koth_solitary

3

9

10

6.8

mvm_callous

8

5

9

7

mvm_intercept

7

???

10

-

pl_effigy

5?

8

9

7

pl_sergis

4

6

10

6

sd_freshwater

4

7

10

6.4

Personal favorites:

. Keikoku
. Prescott
. Callous

Notes:

cp_amaranth: Don't have much to say. A quick optimization would've saved this from the tech deduction
cp_bridges_a5b: two red heavies could literally stop the BLU team from respawning by spawncamping INSIDE the spawn
cp_delicious: choky, the spawns, no player clips
cp_gulge: too open and large, makes the gameplay slow
cp_innovation: I need to retest as I had horrible latency on test
cp_keikoku: Always liked this map, the area from the bridge to the building before B could be scaled down a bit I think
cp_overwatcher: Personally dislike the gamemode, I really liked duelling with soldiers on C, other points were meh
ctf_hayloft: It was fun to mess around, but I wouldn't play it that often. (Like hightower)
koth_prescott: Very fun map as a soldier, and I wouldn't like to play the other classes because of that. I'd think the 6v6 guys would like it. Surprisingly, I even enjoyed the map as spy.
koth_pitfall: Don't have much to say. I guess the exits from spawn were camped (slightly). OK map
koth_point: Stupid water. Map too small for 12v12
mvm_callous: A fun map. The knockback soldiers cracked me up. The last round was a bit of a flop, but hey, the rest was enjoyable. The forward shop remains open during rounds, which was a bit annoying and a bit abusable.
mvm_intercept: I haven't yet played a full match. Interesting logic/gamemode. The start (before A) is very 'underplayed', as the bomb quickly goes into cover (the A building). C is very open. Rounds a bit too short given the complex/lenghty rounds.
pl_effigy: ALERT. Fun to mess around, the health locations were a bit odd though. Feels overscaled/too large
pl_sergis: Feels confusing, maybe it's the flow? Long walks after respawn.

It feels overscaled, and big. Heights are extreme and there's little variation between those heights.

cp_amaranth

6

6

9

It always bugged me how hard it is to push into final

cp_bridges

5

6

8

The gameplay is ok but I feel a lot of the areas are too disconnected and rarely used.w

cp_delicious

7

6

6

I thought this map had really unique combat areas and height layouts that are not often seen in maps which made it reasonably enjoyable. Lost marks in technical for no suffix though, I didn't even know if I had the latest version.

cp_gulge

4

4

8

I didn't really enjoy fighting on this map. I still feel that the areas are way too flat, especially second. Defenders have a really hard time pushing back out into second in my experience. I also felt that there was too little routes between second and mid, there's no 'safer' option because they all go through the spammed choke.

cp_innovation

8

7

9

Solid 5cp, even if the middle is a little uninspired and pretty similar to your other 5cp maps

cp_keikoku

best

map

in

the contest

cp_lasseter

7

8

9

I don't have much to comment on other than maybe the mid feels a bit small and cramped and plays like the horrible 5gorge mid

cp_overwatcher

7

7

9

I like this map a lot. It's a lot more interesting than standin and each point feels unique.

cp_sleekcrete

7

7

7

It's pretty decent but honestly I can't say I've ever played around final. It seems rare the fights get to that point.

ctf_hayloft

5

7

6

I don't feel this map does anything to try and fix the issues every ctf map has. The mid is no more fun to fight on than 2forts and is just a series of parralell sightlines.

koth_grizzlyc10

8

8

8

I'm glad that the lower route has use now, and I'm a fan of how you've constructed the spawn-mid connecter.

koth_pitfall

4

5

8

I still think this map feels too overscaled, and despite the pit in mid the height is...flat. The point remains too hard to capture so it's easier to deathmatch around it.

koth_point

7

6

8

I really love the point in this. It's very unique and creates really interesting fights that no other koth map offers. The layout also feels quite refreshing.

koth_prescott

7

8

8

koth_solitary

5

5

6

Needs a suffix. Many hallways were very tight and dark leading to little room for combat.

mvm_callous

x

x

x

I don't feel it's fair to vote on the mvm maps as I could not play them with a full team.

mvm_intercept

x

x

x

^

pl_effigy

6

5

6

The gameplay was very hectic. I felt safe nowhere on the map, not even coming out of my spawn. Players got behind you in ways that you didn't expect and caused many stupid deaths. There didn't feel to be a "front line". Also I got stuck in the cart a few times.

pl_sergis

7

7

6

Your least doom map yet. Interesting use of signs. The cart's path is very flat and doesn't often offer interesting fights around it. Cart seems to be sort of a side to the rest of the map in my experience.

sd_freshwater

x

x

x

I did not get a change to play it but it looks interesting. Two lifts? Whoa!

It's hard for me to comment on 5cap maps because I'm simply not experienced enough with them in general. It seemed good. Mid seemed a bit too open, like we weren't easily directed in any specific route (is that normal for 5cap?). I liked the doors route from mid to second, that seemed pretty unique. Second was a pretty original area in general, and it was cool how quickly a team could walk up to it if you let them. Was kinda hard to comment on last because we didn't see many battles for control of the last room, more like battles for control of the area just behind second - which led to immediate control of the last area (is that an issue?).

cp_amaranth_a14

8

6.5

10

First to mention is that of the five or so playtests of this map, three of them were about two months ago now so I don't really recall them. Of recent times what I've noticed was that attacking first seemed too easy, especially compared to the brutal-ness of second. I guess that's okay for the map because it lets people gain ground but not win so easily, since the map is only 2cap a/d.. Second proved to be a tough position to push into, and of the times I recall us doing so it never felt totally justified for our effort, like we won because they forgot to step on the point at the last moment - it might just be too hard. First seemed good, I like all the incremental changes you've made to that location. First I guess wasn't held long, but it could be - it could be won there, so, good.

cp_bridges

7

5

10

The map felt alright, but fighting onto C felt pretty disconnected from the rest of the map. It was possible to spawncamp blue forward by just not leaving spawn when blue capped second, first was nice, although I worry that the back section behind the point was a bit too flat - it felt too flat. Some people mentioned in-game that second was too hard to take, that might have just been because of teams, but I did also feel that a push lost a lot of momentum once it hit the second area, could be a problem. There are some side routes in between first and second, opposite side of the forward spawn, that seemed to be too large for what they were used for - a quick flank past the hold at second to higher ground.

cp_delicious

4

4

5

The system your map was based off of (5cap with numbered doors that open/close depending on which points you own) sounds good in theory, but in reality what tends to happen is that people get confused which door leads where (considering 1 goes to last, 3 goes to mid, and 5 goes to second) leading to people getting lost a lot. In 5cap it would be best to have more of a linear progression and that should include the routes outside of spawn too. The routes near mid suggest that I can take the far side of the pit that mid is on towards the enemy base, but it is just a dead end since that route leads down to their forward spawn door, so you gotta turn around and take the long route back to the main path - I fell for that a few times. The clipping on your map is also broken so people were able to just jump above the buildings and run to the other team's last. It seems to be one of your first maps, and I can appreciate ambition to try something difficult and challenging, but perhaps you need a better grasp on the reasons behind some of the routes and geometry along the ways to points, since for cp_delicious, those were the weak areas. Also, the map was pretty dark in the shadows, try increasing the fourth number (brightness) on your light_environment's ambient setting.

cp_gulge

7

9

10

It's hard for me to comment on 5cap maps because I'm simply not experienced enough with them in general. Mid seemed maybe a bit too open, and maybe too in-favour of snipers and scouts. Last seemed good, felt like a final fight in that room when we were taking it, but someone mentioned in-game one time, and in retrospect I kinda agree - that maybe last was too difficult to take. Were some good scout/spy routes around last, but the no-markings on last point made it hard to tell where the capzone was. All the metal doors leading onto mid, to me at least, got confusing which led where.

cp_innovation

9

10

10

It's hard for me to comment on 5cap maps because I'm simply not experienced enough with them in general. Of course really similar to granary, second reminded me of tidal to be honest. Anyway, mid was evidently playing well, and second too. Second made a nice forward base for pushing mid, etc. Last went by very quickly and I don't think we ever successfully defended it and made a push back to second, it might be that because it was far back and out of the way of the routes it wasn't the defending team's main focus - if you traversed too far you could easily be backcapped. That might just be a coordination problem though, I'm sure it would play better in a more competitive format.

cp_keikoku

10

9

10

I really like this map. 'Knusperfrosch' mentioned in the feedback that first point may need a bit more cover from snipers, and while I think the cover is okay as it is, of all my memories capping first, they were mostly crouching behind cover from the snipers once we cleared the immediate area, so maybe that is an issue worth looking into sometime. Otherwise, for blue spawn, for red spawn, for second, I love it. Second plays really really well, the under areas plays great, I like that you listened to the cool gameday feedback videos' idea of the stairway-traintrack route, that plays pretty well. I like that it's easy to find the location your class works well in. I like that there are moderately safe sections for red to get away from their spawn if they need to on last (the dropdown room goes underused a bit, which is good for red to push a bit). The forward room for blue never really seemed to contain a sentrygun for very long, maybe it's too tough to build up there (maybe more ammo? /shrug).

cp_lasseter

8

9

10

It's hard for me to comment on 5cap maps because I'm simply not experienced enough with them in general. The map played pretty dang well but pushing onto last was pretty tough at times if you couldn't get past those front doors - the flank with the windows was a deathtrap. Mid was good, I like the added changes of proving its importance by adding protection. The map also had good rollouts from all of the spawn/forward spawn locations which a few people touched upon in-game.

cp_overwatcher

9

9

10

Point C seemed a bit too easy to defend because of the nearby indoor routes you could hide or easily retreat into, but then again being a tomislav heavy might have had something to do with that. Like Aly has said, the map definitely is more interesting to play on than standin, with more intricate routes going through the areas. In general it was good and fun.

cp_sleekcrete

4

6

10

It's hard for me to comment on 5cap maps because I'm simply not experienced enough with them in general. I don't particularly enjoy playing this map. Part of it is that it's hard to find reliable strategies, part of it is because I lose track of my team too quickly, part of it is some long, winding, sometimes particularly useless routes (like the surf ramp that doesn't really work cause it's too steep, should be more angled at 45 degrees so you lose less momentum going down it, otherwise it's just a demo route). The tiny poles sticking out of the mid dish got in the way of my shots a lot which was annoying, and I also didn't like that last always seemed to be rolled. I do like your geometry a bit, it's pretty ridiculous how it complex it all is, even though it doesn't work that well in my opinion.

ctf_hayloft

5

4

10

This map has some good potential, but it felt like the focus was somewhat wasted. Currently the focus is attacking the barn middle building for control over mid, and then pressing inwards onto the base. You can probably guess where I'm going that once you own mid, it's hard to lose it. In general it felt hard to attack the large barn, it felt impossible to hit people standing on the roof, and it felt like too much of a walk to try to get to the 'midpoint' with the large healthpack at the back of the barn. An idea to fix the general bad parts of this barn would be to 1) clip off the roof, 2) put more of a focus on the opposite side of the barn from the water route. Like what if you opened up a wide route on that opposite side, and had ways into the barn through there - you'd still have a 'control the barn to control mid' goal, but it would be easier to attack past and harder to hold control of the area because people could slip right by your hold if you weren't wary. Something else that was silly was the upper route from spawn, it seemed to go right into a deathpit overlooking the barn exits, possibly having a side exit overlooking the water area might be good? maybe it would be too open then. Big changes, but as it stands it was too difficult to push through mid.

koth_grizzlyc10

4

4

10

Personally I preferred the original version of the map. I guess an issue that the changes might have been trying to solve was that in the old version it was maybe a bit easy to get right to the enemy spawn? And this new wide-open area attempts to make that not as possible? If that was the case, it's about the same, if not worse for spawncamping. This new wide section between mid and spawn is just too much space in a straight sight down mid that it makes a lot of class strategies kinda useless. Like, if an area is too open a heavy will never tread down that path, and that's exactly what happens to this route - there's no major pushes that go up the main route because it's too dangerous to attempt to.

koth_pitfall

8

6

10

So we played this map about six times total, but each time we never had more than 14 players so I don't really know how well this type of map would work with a full server. It seemed to play fairly well though, and it was interesting that you could bypass the highground overlooking your rollouts by going low and onto the point - which forced the people on top to focus on you on the bottom. I thought maybe that it was too easy to survive on the point because there was a lot of health within walking distance, so maybe moving the one medium health near non-cylinder route back towards its side ramps more.. That's kindof another thing, is that it's hard to quickly distinguish/describe the two sides of the map apart. A last thing to mention is that a few times a team was trapped in their spawn by spawn campers, and while spawn camping generally isn't a bad thing in koth maps (in pro games its actually a viable tactic to spawncamp the enemy team if you can afford to), it seemed a tad too easy to do so, maybe just make the spawn's area a bit larger so people coming out of spawn get a wider LOS to see hiding spawn campers.

koth_point

5

5

10

There wasn't much depth beyond the water combat, and the map seems to be too small. The side routes seemed too open and narrow to be useful as areas necessary for ownership of the point, and the point being so small results in combat that only happens immediately around the point. With combat only occurring in one area players will get bored within 15 minutes - look at small arena maps for example. A counter to this feeling would be to open the rollout positions up more, not only for explosive/jumping classes to feel more prepared, but so people near the point see the counter-rollout route as a viable tactic instead of just a deathpit.

koth_prescott

6

9

10

This map definitely seems aimed at the pro-crowd, and maybe that's why I didn't like it very much. I never really found a viable strategy for any of the classes I was choosing, but maybe that's my fault for not playing them very well? (As a soldier I don't rocket jump much - directhit). I did like mid, I liked how a team could quickly run up the side routes and then try to force their way onto the point, I feel like there's a lot of potential for interesting maneuvers of how teams might try to do that. I feel like maybe surviving low was too easy for some classes, some annoying scouts *cough* bereth *cough* kept gunning me and running to the medium health pack there out of my LOS.

koth_solitary

5

5

10

This map seems too small. The upper sections of the buildings seem rather useless, like added complexity because the map was too simple but not because they were genuinely useful routes. You can afford to simplify those routes and then put more of a focus on routes leading to the side buildings (these were currently used as escape routes, mostly, but nothing else - wasted space?). The point was decent, as simple as it was, but the route underneath it, I wonder if many people even noticed it existed. I assume this was one of your first maps and it's a good start, I'd recommend observing the shapes of routes in popular maps, and analyze why they work so well - and try to apply them to your own maps.

mvm_callous

6

3

7

Your pop file broke for us during testing, luckily Alias was there to make a quick change to the file (a missing curly bracket iirc) to make it run correctly again. The balancing was way off, the first mission was ludicrously hard compared to the second or third missions, and after seven tries we couldn't beat the final wave because it wasn't possible to hold ground near the end of the map near the hatch.

mvm_intercept

7

9

10

I really like how much effort you put into this map. I really like the idea you had for it, and I'm almost amazed it works correctly (considering how often ideas don't go according to plan). Personally I didn't enjoy the challenge of the map, it seemed like a lot of the difficulty in the waves lied in the hands of one-hit-killing-robots, which were a pain to deal with in general. And while I suppose that then meets the demands, I guess I wish the one-hit-kills were done by things like heavys, where I can injure them if they're distracted by something. The same sort of one-hit-kill annoyance occurred when a bot was able to sneak past where we weren't looking, and arrive at our final cap and win just as we arrive to deal with him. He only ended a wave like that once, but we had several close calls which were not very fun to deal with. I like stress and challenge, but I guess I like when it doesn't demand my full attention all the time (as well as some luck to boot). The actual map was pretty well designed, I got pretty good fps overall, and I do remember having fun around the dish section of the map (the 20 bots all roaming together up a ramp multi-kills come to mind).

pl_effigy

9

8

9.5

Tug of war unfortunately still has some issues with people getting stuck inside the cart or the map geometry just cause of how the cart is set up, and unfortunately I don't think there's a way to solve that, but it did still happen occasionally. I personally liked the balance of the map, I liked how much you've done to try to balance out the stalemates that plague the gamemode, and it really seems to help. I guess an issue I noticed was that at the start of the game players were going everywhere, kinda unsure of where the cart was in relation to the spawn exit routes. I suppose that's normal in any map in general, but it seemed to happen every round, like we never really bothered to make a push as a team. Maybe it's not a bad thing, /shrug. People ingame were mentioning how the center route allowed the possibility of rocket spam onto mid when the cart was first there, although I never saw that happen (even taunted about 20x in a row in the center route without anyone noticing me one round).

pl_sergis

6

6

10

The opening area seemed to go by too quickly, it wasn't so much a massive fight since the side routes were chokey and made it a concentrated effort in many locations instead of one or two main locations (referring to badwater here). Around second and third there were some side areas that seemed to go underused, and iirc second was way too easy to take. Third was good, had good variation of height, and the up-high forward spawn exit for blue made attacking last more fun. I don't recall playing engineer personally, but thinking back I don't really recall anyone else doing that either. Maybe just coincidence, but could be that there weren't obvious-enough engineer locations, /shrug.

sd_freshwater

4

4

10

I don't really like the way you set this up, the map felt really bland when it reset, like all of our effort completely died away if we got screwed by respawn times attacking last, or we got hit by a crit on the way in, etc. I didn't like how there was a lot of nothing going on, I didn't like how bland the map felt overall. I think it may be worthwhile to you to checkout koth_cobalt, which uses a similar gamemode but it a lot more action-oriented. It may just be related to flags, which force people to do a lot of nothing if they don't have a fast class speed.